Key-operated latch



April 16, 1940. R, Q GRAY 2,197,103

KEY OPERATED LATCH Filed Dec. 27, 1938 WMM Patented Apr. 16, 1940 l t. KEY-OPERATED LATCH Rollin Lester Gray, Chicago, Ill.,`assignor to The Illinois Lock Company, Chicago, Ill., va corporation of Illinois Application December 27, 1938, Serial No. 24'l,787 11 claims. (o1. p:1J- 81) This'invention relates to a key-operated lock applicable especially to a multiple latch mechanism of a door such, for example, as is employed -with lockers. Inasmuch as the latch mecha- 5 nism of. a locker door usually comprises avertically reciproca-ble steel bar, extending for substantially the length of the door, for operation of a plurality of widely spaced catches, there is considerable Weightand friction to be overcome when -l applying manual forcetoliftthis bar.. `Because of this circumstance-it is customaryto employ an operating handle by which to raise lthe bar, once itis freed for motion'by 'operationof a suitable lock. 'Iheflock itself, whether it be of the com- '1 bination or key-operated type, doesno more than release the bar for movement in response to' manual power. For `this reason it is necessary to employ a handle of some vsort forv operation oi the bar.

A2 0 According to the present invention, I employA y25 applicable to existing locker doors with multiple latch mechanisms as heretofore employed.y 1t is simple in constructiom'. easy and dependable to operate,"and iurnishesprot'ection in accordance with all usual requirements. In addition, the key I31) by which the lock is operated to lift the bar is retained Within the lock only at'such timesl as the locker door is tobe opened or to remain open. Because of this circumstance, 'the locker door, when shut, is devoid'of any projecting handle or '35 knob such as might interfere with a person or object moving in the' immediate vicinity. Considering the fact that a vgreat number of lockers are usually crowded into a small space, this feature ofl avoiding exterior projections upon the 40 locker doors is important. i y

Asuggestive embodiment of my invention is set forth in the accompanying drawing wherein- Figure 1 is a perspectivey view of a singlelocker showing its door, which is closed, equipped with f 45 my improved key-operated lock;

Fig. 2 which is a similar view shows vthe key inserted into the lock, the door being partly open; Fig. 3 is a view in velevation of the inner side of the door, showing the lock fitted` thereto; 750 Fig, 4 is an enlarged Vdetail in section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5A is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4; l y

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the lock housing and 55 connections extending therefrom, the View lookingy in the direction of the open yside of the housing' which, in service, is fitted against the inner 'side of the door ;v

Fig. 7 is a vertical section through the housing f 00 [and cylinder -lcck ftherewithn, vshowing thegparts vin the position which they normallyoccupy when the door is latched;

Fig. 8 which is a similar View shows lthe parts in the other extreme position; and

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section through` a cyl- 5 inder lock of a type which is suitable for use with the present mechanism.

The present lock may be advantageously employed with the hinged door D of a. locker L, such .an application cf the lock being hereinafter :10 referred to simply for convenience. According lto Fig. 4, the locker which may be made of steel is provided with van inturned ange lil forming a jamb adjacent the free edge of the door which, as

shown, is also hanged inwardly at. l adjacentgl5 the jamb, the flange. being formed with `a return Wall-l2 which, together with the door, provides a channel open onvthe side opposite the jamb. Axed to the jamb is one wall,y l5 of an angle plate whose web i6 is adapted to be engaged by 12.0 the return wall of the door flange so as to serve as a stop therefor. A tongue Il `forming a keeper which is carried by the web-in parallel but'spaced relation to the wall l5 is adaptedto lie transversely within the doorv channel when extended thereintothroug'h an elongated slot i8 in the return wallv l2. The door ange and return wall I2 are desirably extended for the full Vdoor length, but the angle .plate it which is aflixed to the jamb may be short, several of such plates being used,; by preference, threebeing a suggested number." With such multiple angle plates, each requires one elongated slot i3 through the return wall for the reception. therethrough of a keeper; and also multiplecatches are required in cooperation with l,35 the keepers. llhese catches and associated keepersconstitute a multiple latch mechanism the operation of which'is controlled by means now tov be described. 4

Mounted for vertical sliding movement within); 40 the door channel is a bar B, here shown as oi"` U-form .with itsl base wall *20 remote from the door ilange so as to close the open side of the channel., One or more slots 2l in `register with the slots I8 arev formed in the U-bar to permit,l 15.

the door'flange toward whichthe spring at one'r ,55-

end is inclined, as at 3l, for connection therewith, as by the use of rivets 32. The inclined portion of the spring cooperates with the sliding camvllange 33 formed transversely of the bridge at oneflend thereof. SinceY the bridge -xedlyg connected to -the bar which is mounted for reciprocation vertically in the door, it follows that an upward movement of the slide will cam the spring-catch outwardlytoward the door ange with a consequent disengagement from the keeper. Under such conditions the door may be freely opened. If the bar be lowered again,

with a consequent descent of the slide, the' spring-catch will be advanced inwardly to a position of engagement V with 'the keeper, the beveled edge of the catch facilitating its sliding passage over the outer edge of the keeper until the catch is opposite the slot therein whereupon the catch may advance into the latching position shown in Fig. 4.

WithA a latch mechanism of this kind which is now a standard product, the lock of my invention is .adapted-to co-operate with special advantage inasmuch as it provides a key-operated cylinder (l) by which to raise and lower the bar to unlatch or latch the catch, and (2) by which to open the door, thereby dispensing with any requirement for a handle or knob. For this purpose I utilize a housing H which is affixed to the inner sideof the door adjacent the bar, the

housing being formed with a top wall having therein an opening through which is slidably extended a plunger 36 connected at its Lipper end with a head 37 which is laterally extended from a transmission arm` 38 which extends downwardly through a slot in the housing top` kto be slidably supported therewithin.

Near its lower end the arm is slotted at 39 to receive an eccentric pin M3 which is ycarried at the rear end of the rotatable plug M of a cylinder lock. At its forward end the cylinder carries `a cap 42 whose face is exposed through an opening in the door, the cap being provided with a slot for entry of an authorized key K.

By reference to Fig. 6, which is a view looking into the interior of the housing from its front open side, it will be noted that a pair of lugs l5 are extended therein from the back wall in spaced relation so as to accommodate therebetween the transmission arm 38. These lugs. together with the edges of the slot in the top wall 35 furnish a guide wherein the arm body is slidingly supported. At the upper end of the arm is an offset lateral extension 45 the distant end of which is adapted to enter a slot lil in the -base wall 2! of the bar B, the size of the slot being such as to closely surround the arm whereby, in response to movements of the transmission arm in a vertical plane, the bar will be raised or lowered. The weight of the bar may be substantially vcounterbalanced by a spring i8 which is coiled around the plunger 36 so asfto exert in a plane between the oiset arm and its extension opposing thrust forces upon the head 31 and housing top 35. `Accordingly any turning force applied to the key K will be transmitted through the cylinder lock and the arm extending therefrom to the vertically reciprocable bar to release or re-engage the multiple latch mechanismv in the manner already explained.

As indicative of a type of key-operated lock which is suitable for thel present invention, I have shown in Fig. 9 a plate-tumbler guide assembly, the ltumblers being designated oy the letters t and the guides by the letters` c'. Normally, the tumblers are spring projected so as to occupy positions within opposed grooves 5l) (see Fig. 6) in the lock barrel 5l, but upon insertion of the key the tumblers forced in lwardly to A aligned positions wherev .the plug, is

free to rotate in response to turning movement of the key. The barrel is secured in any appropriate way lwithin a tubular mounting 52 which extends transversely of the housing. Any suitable stop for limiting theplug rotation to a desired distance may be provided, it beingv preferred to conne the oscillating range to something less than 130 so that the key may be inserted-or withdrawn only when thev plug is in its initial position. It is the key alone oper-l ating through the plug which (l) communicates motion to the arm, and thence to the bar by which the multiple latches are released, and

which (2) while non-releasably held in the lock,

serves as the handle by which the door is opened. Return movement of the bar, by which the latches are permitted to re-engage with their keepers, is accomplished by a reverse operation of the key. When so reversely operated the door is free to close and latch itself by reason of the fact that the beveled faces of the several catches may ride over the edges ofl the keepers vwith which they first strike. And finally, it is onlywhen the bar is downk with the lock restored toits f 25 initial position that the key may be removed from the door.

In practice the present lock mechanism may be applied withv facility to 'a locker door having a multiple latch'mechanism as hereinl described. It is necessary merely that the housing be bolted yor riveted inplace, apertures in opposed flanges vt3, adapted to bear against the inner door face, being providedA `to receive such fastening elements. When sol positioned the arm extension isadapted to enter the-slot IH, usually pre-formed in the bar, Wherebyto complete Athe 'operative connection between the lock and latch mech-.`

anism. This extension, it Will be noted, proceeds in a plane intermediate o f lthe door and yrear end of the cylinder where the main part of the arm is located,` in order to align with the barslot lll. The thrustfforce lwhich proceeds through the offset head is .compensated for by the spring whose tension is exerted at this point of offset, thereby minimizing any friction due to canting.

extreme, enabling an ordinary key-operated cyl` inder lock to lcontrol the latch mechanism and The entire assembly is, thererore, effective 1n the also to serve as a handle for the door whereby the usual exterior protuberances may be dis-4 pensed with entirely.

I claim: v l. A locking mechanism for doors including a vertically reciprocable latch operatingbar, aA

lock housing, a cylinder lock mounted foroscil- Alation within the housing,` an arm slidingly mounted within the housing and extended outwardly therefrom for engagement with the bar adapted to` tansmit vertical motion thereto, ak

key-operated lock comprising a housing aflixed in proximity to the bar., an arm slidably supported within the housing and extended therefrom. for releasable, engagement with the bar, a

cylinder rotatably secured within the' housinganl eccentric connection between said arm ,and

cylinder wherebyl to impart vertical movements thereto in response to rotation of the cylinder, and a spring in connection with the arm exl erting a tension forceinopposition tothevveights.

`adapted to transmit vertical motions thereto, -an eccentric connection between the arm and cylinder whereby rotary motions of the latter in response to operations of the key may be translated into reciprocatory `movements of the former, and tension means exerting on `the arm a force counter to the weight of the bar tending to equalize the torsional force requisite for operation of the key for moving the -bar in both directions. l

4. A locking mechanism for doors` including a vertically reciprocableI latch ,l operating bar, a housing aiiixed in proximity to the bar, a keyoperated rotatable cylinder lock within the housing, an arm slidingly supported within the housing and extended therefrom for connection with thev bar, a plunger extending from a point yexteriorly of the arm through an opening in the housing adapted to slide therewithin in response to sliding movements of the arm, and a spring coiled about the plunger exerting a force tending to move the arm outwardly from theA housing in opposition to the weight of the bar whereby to equalize the torsional force requisite for operation of the key for moving the bar in both directions. l

5. A locking mechanism for doors including a vertically reciprocable latch operating'bar, a housing aiiixed in proximity to the bar, means extended inwardlyl from onev of the housing walls 1to provide a pair of spaced guides, an arm slidable between the guides within the housing and extended exteriorly thereof through a slot in one of its Walls adapted for straight line reciprocation, a connection between the arm andthe bar ywhereby the latter is` reciprocated in response to movements of the former', a' key-operated cylinder lock havng an eccentric yconnection with the arm vioroperation thereof, and spring means exerting a tension on the arm in opposition to the weight of the bar adapted .to equalizel the torsional force requisite for operation of the key for moving the bar in both directions. f

6. A locking mechanism vfor doors including a vertically reciprocable latch operating bar, a housing aiixed in proximity to the bar, a kefyoperated lock cylinder adapted for rotation about a xed axis Within the housing, av vertically `reciprocable arm slidingly supported within` the housing and extended therefrom for reciprocation exteriorly thereof, means connecting the arm and the lock cylinder in a manner whereby the latter is adapted to transmit a reciprocato-ry motion to the former, and means connecting the arm with the bar wherebythe latter is caused to including a rotatable cylinder within the housing adapted to receive therein and release therefrom an operating key when the cylinder is in one rotative position only and vin vall other rotative positions to retain the key therewithin f whereby it may serve as a handle for a door, a

transmission between the cylinder and the bar adapted upon application of a torsional force to thekey to reciprocate the bar in one direction,

and tension means in connection with the transmission exerting a force counter to the weight of the bar adapted to equalize the torsional force requisite for operation of the key to move the bar in both directions,`

8. A locking mechanism, for doors including a vertically reciprocable latch operating bar, a lock mounted in proximity to the bar and including a rotatable cylinder adapted to receive therein and release therefrom an operating key when the cylinder is in one rotativey position. f only and in all other rotative positions to retain the key therewithin whereby it may serve as a handle for a door, a transmission between the cylinder and the bar adapted upon application of a torsional force to the key to reciprocate the bar in one direction, and tension. means in connection withl the transmission exerting a force counterto the weight of the bar tending to equalize the torsional force requisite for operation of the key to move the 'bar in both directions.

9. A locking mechanism for doors including a reciprocable latch operating bar, akey-operi ated, lock comprising a housing affixed in proximity to the bar, an arm slidably supported within the housing and extended therefrom for releasable engagement withthe bar, a cylinder;

rotatably secured within the housing, an eccentric connection between s aidarm andcylinder in connection with the arm exerting a ytension force in opposition to the weight of the bar tending to afford a substantial counterbalance therefor.

l0.A A locking mechanism for doors including a vertically reciprocable latch operatingbana housing aixed in proximity to the bar, a key-l operated lock including a rotatable cylinder of a torsional force to the key to reciprocate the,

bar in one direction, and tension means in connection with the transmission exerting a force counter to the weight of the bar tending to equalize thetorsional force requisite for opera- 'tion of the key to move the bar in both directions. I

l1. A locking mechanism for doors including a vertically reciprocable latch operating bar, a key-operated lock mounted in proximity to the bar and including a 'rotatable cylinder, a transmission between the cylinder and the bar adapted upon application of a torsionalforce to the key to reciprocate the bar in one direction, and tension means in connection with the transmissionexerting a force counter to the weight of the bar tending to equalize the torsional force requisite for operation of the key to move the bar in both directions.

' ROLLIN LESTER GRAY. 

